PARA EQUESTRIAN DAILY
US Para Equestrian Susan Treabess and Kamiakin Will Compete in the World Equestrian Games
Friday, July 4, 2014
Posted by USPRE
WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES




The primary focus of Para Dressage, the sport in which Susan will compete in, is to provide competitive opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities. Many disabled athletes compete, and even excel, in sports designed for the able-bodied, but Para Dressage in particular opens a world of competition to riders with even severe disabilities that might preclude them from other forms of sport, and does so while providing a structured, focused, and highly competitive environment. Para-Dressage is also part of the Summer Paralympics which follow directly after the Olympics at the same venues for both the Winter and Summer Games.

Kamiakin is not only the first PRE to represent the United States in a WEG event, he's also 100% a product of the USA. “I’m a US rider, riding a US bred horse, coached by a US coach, with US co-owners,” says Susan, “and we all go get to represent our country against the world’s best in Para Dressage. We’re living the American Dream!”
Dennis Callin, Susan and Kam’s international coach is incredibly proud of their team’s accomplishment. Dennis introduced Susan to Para Dressage at a dressage clinic in 2007 and initiated the partnership with Katy and Dan Peterson and Susan’s lifelong mentor Ellen Eckstein for the ride on Moneypenny, the Dutch Warmblood mare who was Susan’s WEG partner in 2010. Susan was able to ride to a 9th place finish overall at the 2010 WEG, and she and Moneypenny were ranked 5th in the World that same year. Dennis is looking forward to Susan riding once again on the international stage, “through much dedication, hard work, extreme focus and a very willing equine partner we are very much looking forward to our journey of the World Equestrian Games. It takes an entire village to make this possible. A big thank you to all the professionals, sponsors, friends and family that make this possible! As her coach I am filled with pride and look forward to continuing our goal of producing the best horse/rider combination possible!”
When asked how well she thinks she’ll do at the WEG Susan has a very open outlook, “I’m not focusing on the outcome, I’m focusing more on the day-to-day needs and training of myself and the horse. After the 2010 WEG, I realized I would not be able to afford the horses that were earning medals, especially with the level of training and quality I saw in my division. But it shouldn’t be about that anyway. It has to be about finding a partner you believe in and bringing out the best in each other. I want to win a medal by doing things right; hard work, determination and becoming the best I can be with and for my horse on any given day. In Kam I saw a lot of raw potential with a bright future if channeled correctly. We are a young partnership for FEI dressage, and for Para Dressage. With the help of others I have brought Kam along from an undeveloped youngster to a promising international competitor. So no matter what, I will feel good at the end of the day because I know this is only just the beginning for us and I’m very proud that it’s a home grown product! I love my horse and I’m really excited about what is to come.”